The NHL had all 32 teams playing on Tuesday
night in their Frozen Frenzy event. San Jose hosted the Boston Bruins in the
final game on the docket that didn't start until 8:15 local time. That late
start was foreshadowing the Sharks, who were late to the party. dropping a 6-3
decision at SAP Center. San Jose played like that teenager who rolls out of bed
at noon, fumbling away goal after goal to drop their second consecutive game.
Boston played a more disciplined game that focused on opportunities.
San Jose obliged by tripping over themselves in too many situations, allowing
the Bruins to score when they needed to. They would out-score the Sharks 2-1 in
each of the three regulation periods.
The absence of any offensive
push continued. San Jose scored 2 of their 3 goals on the power play, but were
lost in 5-on-5 situations. The big money acquisitions just aren't producing and
the Sharks found themselves playing catch up all night long.
San Jose
enjoyed a power play just 4:44 into the contest after David Pastrnak was called
for high sticking Macklin Celebrini. The Sharks did nothing with the advantage,
failing to generate a single shot on goal.
The Bruins appeared to
score a goal 9:56 into the game but it was immediately waved off after Marat
Khusnutdinov was ruled to have interfered with goaltender Yaroslav Askarov.
Boston would not have their second scoring chance called back.
Centerman Fraser Minten streaked into the offensive zone off a line change
before collecting a feed from Casey Mittelstadt and ripping a shot past
Askarov. Rookie Ivar Stenberg lost the defensive assignment, allowing Minten to
slice right down the middle of the ice before unloading his shot.
Nikita Zadorov was sent off for hooking at 13:27, but once again the Bruins
negated the Sharks power play. San Jose looked lost on the man advantage, with
passes that were too risky or intended for targets that didn't exist.
Jacob Trouba tied the game right after the penalty expired, ripping a shot from
the blueline that found twine. Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was partially
screened on the play and picked up the puck late.
San Jose bubmled
their way through the last 3 minutes of the period, which allowed the Bruins to
reclaim the lead late. After a turnover in the Sharks zone, JJ Peterka pounced
on a deflection outside the left post, then slid it to defenseman Charlie
McAvoy at the front of the net. Barclay Goodrow allowed McAvoy to gain inside
position, where he punched home Paterka's feed for this 1st goal of the season.
McAvoy was making his season debut after serving a 6 game suspension.
The Bruins defenseman was forced to sit after his slash of Buffalo Sabre Zach
Benson in Game 6 of the Bruins opening round playoff loss last Spring.
Ivar Stenberg scored his 1st career NHL goal at 5:48 of the 2nd period after
Zadorov was sent off once again for tripping. Stenberg parked himself on the
left post then tapped home a Celebrini feed from the outside of the right
circle.
The Bruins were the benefactors of a fortuitous bounce 3
minutes later. With two defenders keyed on Mark Kastelic who was attempting to
skate the puck along the end boards, the puck was deflected out front passing
the left post on the way. Matthew Poitras was lurking out front and put two
swats on the puck while Askarov was oblivious to the fact that it was in the
danger zone. The gift goal allowed the Bruins to reclaim their lead at 3-2.
With time winding down late in the period disaster
struck. Pressing in the offensive zone, Celebrini was hauled down by McAvoy in
the corner as the puck was being turned over. San Jose then got caught with one
defender back as David Pasternak moved the puck up ice to Morgan Geekie who
waited on a trailing Pavel Zacha. That last pass setup an unscreened blast from
the slot that Askarov didn't even react to for a 4-3 Bruins lead.
The
goal came with 2.8 seconds remaining in the period to sink the Sharks. Rather
than a 1-goal deficit, the Sharks were faced with a 2-goal gap that they would
not overcome.
A too many men penalty setup the Sharks 4th power play
of the night 4:53 into the 3rd period. Celebrini one-timed a blast from the
right dot past Swayman after Stenberg sent a pass through the slot from the off
wing 11 seconds into the power play.
The desire for a comeback was
snuffed out at 11:47 after Michael Misa was bodied off a puck in the offensive
zone. Boston collected the puck and had three players skate up ice and bum rush
the Sharks defense before Minten converted his 2nd goal of the evening to make
it a 5-3 game.
The Sharks pulled Askarow with 4 minutes left in
regulation in an attempt to generate something. It did not. The Sharks did Will
Borgen a favor by setting a free goal of the empty net variety with Askarov on
the bench.
Game Notes: * Tuesday was the NHL's Frozen
Frenzy, which had all 32 teams playing. The Sharks - Bruins game was the 16th
and final game to start, with the opening puck drop coming after 8:00pm Pacific
Time. The win/loss played a role in the standings against everyone.
*
Bruins head coach Marco Sturm was the game winning goal scorer 25 years ago to
the day, when Sturm and the Sharks beat Boston. Sturm was eventually shipped to
Boston as part of the trade that brought Joe Thornton to San Jose.
*
Darnell Nurse required attention after he fought Nikita Zadorov in the 3rd
period. The big Sharks defenseman got his arm caught behind Zadorov's head
which prevented him from breaking his fall. He went face first into the ice.
* Luca Cagnoni was a team low -5 on the night. That was remarkable in
that Cagnoni only skated 15 shifts all night.
* The Sharks now hit the
road for 6 straight games away from SAP Center. The trip could not come at a
better time. The focus is misdirected and spending time together for the next
ten days.
